| | 1 | Author: | Pokagon, Simon | Requires cookie* | | | Title: | Simon Pokagon on Naming the Indians  | | | | Published: | 1995 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | | | | Description: | I have read with much interest the article
in the March number of your magazine on "Naming the Indians," which
I have regarded for many years as of vital importance to the future
of our race. The instructions therein given by T. J. Morgan,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, to Indian agents and
superintendents of government Indian schools, I consider, in view
of our citizenship, of the utmost importance, and ought to have
been construed as obligatory upon teachers and superintendents in
government schools in naming their pupils, as to naming Indian
employees to be appointed as policemen, judges, teamsters,
laborers, etc. In looking over the names published in the article
referred to of pupils at the Crow Agency boarding school, Montana,
I really felt in my heart that most of their surnames, translated
from their language into English unexplained, might well be taken
for a menagerie of monstrosities. Think of it—such names for
girls as Olive Young-heifer, Lottie Grandmother's-knife, Kittie
Medicine-tail, Mary Old-jack-rabbit, Lena Old-bear, Louisa Three-wolves, and Ruth Bear-in-the-middle. And then such names for boys
as Walter Young-jack-rabbit, Homer Bull-tongue, Robert Yellow-tail,
Antoine No- hair-on-his-tail, Hugh Ten-bears, Harry White-bear, Levi Yellow-mule, etc. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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